Currier Inks Five More Student-Athletes to Join Men's Basketball Program

May 25, 2010

MISENHEIMER, N.C. – Five student-athletes of the 2010 recruiting class will join the Pfeiffer University men’s basketball program in the fall announced head coach Jeremy Currier. David Batson, Chris Stokes, Brandon Dorsett, Aaron Van Buren, and Mitchell Hargett will all join the Falcons in August.

Batson comes to Pfeiffer after one season at King College as the only freshman on the Tornados roster. Prior to King, Batson starred at Covenant Day School in Charlotte averaging 18 points per game. While at Covenant Day, the 6’3’’, 190-pound guard was named to the Wesleyan Academy Invitational all-tournament team, the coaches award, and the prestigious Covenant Day School Male Athlete of the Year Award. Other season accolades for Batson include a personal victory in the Kennedy Charter Tip-Off Tournament three-point contest, being named to the Charlotte Pro Am Classic and the North Carolina State All-Star Game, all while maintaining a 3.8 grade point average. “David is a special young man that has an incredible drive and focus on excellence on and off the court,” Currier said. “David has a tremendous skill set that offers our program a level of versatility that we need on both ends of the court.”

Rounding out the sophomore class is Stokes, who comes to Misenheimer via Gateway Community College in New Haven, Connecticut. Stokes led Gateway Community College to an 18-6 record and berth in the Region 21 Finals. The 5’11” Stokes anchored a well-balanced team averaging 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.4 assists per contest as a freshman. Prior to Gateway C.C., Stokes led Ocean Lakes High School (VA) to a 20-5 record and a Beach District Tournament Championship in both his sophomore and senior seasons. “Chris has been a winner his entire career,” commented Currier. “When we were recruiting Chris, the word that everyone used to describe him was ‘winner’. Some players have the knack of identifying what a team needs for them to compete at the highest level, and Chris has that ability.”

Dorsett joins the Falcons after a tremendous career at Greensboro Day School, where he played under legendary coach Fred Johnson. "He won three games for us at the buzzer this year” Johnson stated. “He has a great instinct of getting to the basket and getting a shot off. He's always had that knack." The 6’1’’ point guard averaged 13.4 points, 3.3 assists, 2.6 steals per game while shooting a staggering 53% from the field, 46% from three and 78% from the free throw line. For his efforts, Dorsett was awarded six different post-season awards including being named the Greensboro Day MVP. “Brandon embodies what we are looking for in a student-athlete at Pfeiffer University. Currier commented. “He has excelled for four years both on and off the court at Greensboro Day School where he played under coach Johnson. We could not be more excited about Brandon joining the Falcon Basketball Family.”

The 6’4’’, 185-pound shooting guard Van Buren comes to Pfeiffer after a standout career at Impact Academy. At Impact, Van Buren averaged 13.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest. "I think Pfeiffer is a great fit for Aaron, he is a deadly shooter and can finish in the open floor. He will fit nicely with their high-energy style of play. I am looking forward to seeing Aaron develop over the next four years,” said former coach Matt Hiller. Van Buren was named to the Impact Invitational all-tournament team in 2009 as he guided Impact into the National Prep School rankings. “Aaron Van Buren is a tall shooting guard with an unbelievably high ceiling,” Currier said. “He is extremely athletic, excels in the open floor, and is a natural shooter that has demonstrated tremendous range.”

Hargett rounds out the freshman class for 2010, coming to Misenheimer from Charlotte Christian School where he played on one of the most successful high school teams in the country. The 6’4’’, 190-pound guard played an intricate role on the nationally ranked Charlotte Christian team that ended the year with a 29-5 record and competed against Findlay Prep on ESPN’s Rise National Invitational. Noted by the Bob Gibbons All-Star Report as a player to watch, Hargett was selected to the 19th-annual Charlotte All-Star game and the Pro-Am All-Star Classic. Mitchell was selected as the recipient of the prestigious Jennifer and Kimberly Hendrick Memorial Award. Hargett played AAU ball with the EA Prep Stars program. “Mitchell is a big lefty win that just keeps getting better,” said Currier. “He has been playing with two winning organizations in Charlotte Christian and the EA Prep Stars, and is accustomed to winning championships. We are thrilled that Mitchell will be coming to Pfeiffer, where we will count on him to help bring the Falcons back to national prominence.”

“Overall, I think it is a diverse group of guys that will ultimately help us continue to compete for Conference Carolinas championships each year,” stated Currier. “In this group, we have addressed many of our roster needs, and have added depth to a veteran laden team.”

These five student athletes will join a Falcons program anchored by seniors Chris Woods and Jeff Pettiway. Woods was named to the Basketball Times all-American team, NABC all-region team, Daktronics all-region team and Conference Carolinas first-team selections. Pettiway led the NCAA and Southeast Region in three-point shooting much of the season, and finished as an all-Conference Carolinas selection. The Falcons will open the 2010-11 campaign at North Carolina State on November 9, 2010 in Raleigh, NC.